“Words make you think a thought. Music makes you feel a feeling. A song makes you feel a thought.” – Yip Harburg
Musicals are another great passion of mine. And the genre has completely changed the landscape of cinema as we know it.
Since the first of its kind in 1927, the category hit the silver screen, ushering in a wave of visual storytelling that had never been fathomed before. A new world of sound and color meshed together spearheaded a cultural impact the genre has continued to tread in its path. And its success in numbers is evident.
Think the vintage 1961 city-themed rivalry ‘West Side Story’, the 1978 teenage classic “Grease’ (also the highest grossing musical film of all time) and the 1982 adaptation of the curly, red headed orphan “Annie.”
And I would say the 21st century has drastically presented its revitalization, whether in on-screen adaptations of Broadway classics or original pieces of work— including the 2012 acapella comedy “Pitch Perfect” (origin of the viral "cup song"), the 2016 romantic whirlwind La La Land and, of course, most renaissance Disney movies.
The most recent successful Broadway classics include Hamilton, the widely successful tale of Alexander Hamilton and the Founding Fathers released as a filmed production in 2016, and Wicked, the backstory of the Wizard of Oz's two famous witches just released last November.
And according to The Numbers, ‘Musicals’ was even one of the top three grossing film genres in 2024 at over $1 billion, right behind Action and Adventure.
But despite the genre’s apparent blockbuster effect, I’ve still noticed an aversion to them that I’d like to address. Why do people dislike musical movies?
This is something I’ve seen across generations, and even demographics. It became apparent when I was scrolling through movie options, came across a great musical and everyone in the room yelled, “No!”
The first musical I ever watched was “High School Musical” (the most commercially successful Disney Channel film of all time) when I was around 3 years old. And it had a significant impact on my love for the genre.
Fit with the memorable music and characters, and an onset of “Wildcat” merchandise that I surely owned, the three-movie series left a cultural indent on me and an entire generation of my peers.
I will be honest; I understand the cons of musicals. It may not be favorable for someone who doesn’t like music or singing.
I can see how some may think constant vocalizing, sometimes out of nowhere, is annoying. Some people just want to watch a movie in peace.
And yes, it’s unrealistic. It’s not quite normal for someone to fall off a cliff and give a final belt on their way down, but it’s nonetheless more interesting than nothing, right?
And let’s be real. Sometimes the music is just awful.
But I personally still think musicals are right in getting their time to shine.
I’ve noticed that my love for musicals stems from the fact that they’re more memorable for me. I would say I’ve seen a plethora of movies growing up, but majority of the ones that have truly stuck with me have had some time of musical element involved.
I have a soundtrack to play when I’m driving in my car and a scene to picture in my head with the exact song to go along with it. For me, going to see a musical isn’t just watching a movie, but it’s being immersed in an entire experience. One that I feel like I’m a part of.
And isn’t that what watching movies is all about?
